Self-closing receptacle.



A. EDWARDS.

SELF CLOSING RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, I916.

Patented fiept. 4,1917.

am r.

ALBERT EDWARDS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T JOHN SIMMONS COMPANY.

SELF-CLOSING RECEPTAGLE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented @ept. 1, 191?.

Application filed June 28, 1916. Serial No. 106,40t.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Closing Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to self closing receptacles, such as may be used as sanitary containers for refuse or the like, or which in smaller sizes may be used to hold such articles as dead matches and the device may be also used in the form of a toilet table receptacle, or on the dinner table, and for similar uses; and has for one of its principal objects to provide such a receptacle which shall be simple in construction and convenient of operation, and in which the contents shall be kept out of sight.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as shown in the accompanying drawings and fully described in this specification.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a' perspective view showing one of the forms in which my invention may be made; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing another form; and Figs. 3 and 4' are detail views to be here inafter described.

In carrying my invention into effect in the embodiment thereof shown in Fig. 1, I provide a receptacle proper 11, which may be mounted upon supports 14, and which is provided with a door 12 hinged thereto, in

order to permit the easy removal of the con- I provide an opening having its transverse central line located at the top of the receptacle, one end of said opening lyingin the plane of said front face of the portion 17 and the other end being located in the rear face thereof.

I provide a wire having one end 22 bent to surround the portion of this opening which occupies the front face of the portion 17, a central portion 21 adapted to pass across the top of the receptacle, and another portion 18 adapted to surround the portion of the opening which occupies the rear face of the portion 17 The wire is suitably secured to the upper part 17 of the receptacle, the portions of the wire 18 and 22 serving to reinforce the edges of the opening, and the center 21 supporting the cover, now to be described. The wire is shown detached from the receptacle in Fig. 3.

This cover consists of a piece of sheet metal or the like, having its central portion bent to surround the wire 21, and having its ends extending downwardly therefrom to form closures 19 for the front and rear portions of the opening in the upper part of the receptacle 17. The portion 23 of this cover may be provided with a handle 20 rigidly secured thereto.

The operation of this embodiment of my invention is as follows: The bag 15, if it is employed, being in place, and the door 12 being closed and fastened, the receptacle is ready for use. The weight of each closure 19 normally balances the weight of the other closure 19, both closures extend at approximately the same angle from the perpendicular plane extending longitudinally through the wire 21, and the receptacle remains closed. When it is desired to place anything therein, the handle 20 is pulled, lowering one of the closures 19, and providing an opening through which the article to be disposed of may be dropped, the other closure 19 being correspondingly raised. Upon the release of the handle the weight of the raised closure automatically closes the receptacle. If the article to be placed in the receptacle is appreciably heavy, it may simply be dropped or thrown upon one of the closures 19, its weight causing the same effect as a pull upon the handle 20. The receptacle is emptied through the door 12. If the bag 15 is employed, it may be removed bodily from the receptacle, closed'by means of a draw string or by any suitable means, and carried away, to be subsequently em tied and returned or another bag substituted in the receptacle. v

In the embodiment shown in. Fig. 2 I provide a cylindrical receptacle 24. In place of a door for the removal of the, contents I provide a detachable bottom 25 provided with a constricted portion 31 over which the portion 24 may be placed. This bottom 25 may be provided with supports 26 analogous to the supports 14. I provide an opening in the upper part of the receptacle, analogous to the rectangular opening in the em.- bodiment shown in Fig. 1;.the opening in this embodiment being, however, preferably elliptical as shown in Fig. 2. This elliptical opening is surrounded by a reinforcing wire 32, the central portion 27 of which bridges the shorter diameter of the ellipse and has secured thereto a cover comprising semielliptical closures 28 and a central portion 29, analogous to the closures 19 and central portion 23 respectively of the cover of the embodiment shown .in Fig. 1. Rigidly secured to the portion 29 is a handle 30. The operation of this embodiment of my invention will be obvious from the description of the operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

The advantages of my invention will be easily understood from what has been above set forth concerning its construction and mode of operation. I do not limit myself to the exact forms described, as it is evident that various modifications might be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as for instance, the portion of the wire extending across the opening may be partially or entirely dispensed with, and other means provided for pivotally supporting the closure. It will also be understood that the device herein referred to as a handle may be merely a projecting member acting as a lever to facilitate the opening of the receptacle, and not necessarily as a handle strlctly so-called.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1 A self closing receptacle provided with an openin in its up er ortion, 'a'wire reinforcing t e edges 0 sai opening and having a portion bridging said opening, and a closure pivotally secured on said bridging portion.

2. A self closing receptacle provided with an opening in its upper portion, a member bridging said opening, and a closure having a central portion pivotally secured to sa1d bridging member and having end portions rigid with said central portion, adapted. to close said openin when In their normal position, but both 0% said end portions being free to open either inwardly or outwardly. 1

3. A self closing receptacle provided with an opening in its upper portion, a member bridging said openlng, and a closure havin a central portion pivotally secured to sa1d bridging member and having end portions rigid with said central portion, extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom and adapted to close said opening.

4:. A self closing receptacle provided with an opening in its upper portion, a cylindrical member bridging said opening, and a closure comprising a piece of sheet metal or the like having'a central portion partly surrounding said bridging member, and having end portions extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom, adapted to close said opening.

5. A self closing receptacle provided with an opening in its upper portion and a closure .pivoted horizontally to said receptacle and adapted to close said opening, said closure being provided with portions extending outwardly and downwardly from both sides of said pivotal point.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 24th day of June 1916.

' ALBERT EDWARDS. 

